Looking for a plane book, a beach book or to learn something new? UD faculty share
some of their current reads and old favorites:

"The Conjurer's Bird: A Novel" by Martin DaviesRecommended by Eileen Gregory, professor of English

Weaving together two plotlines—one following an 18th century naturalist, the other
a contemporary one, "The Conjurer's Bird" follows the struggle to identify an unusual
bird discovered during Captain James Cook's second expedition to the South Seas.

"I like it because it has a two-tier plot—one set in the present, the other in the
past—and it is a kind of mystery story," said Gregory.

"This Machine Kills Secrets: How WikiLeakers, Cypherpunks, and Hacktivists Aim to Free
the World's Information" by Andy GreenbergRecommended by Brett Landry, associate dean and associate professor of cybersecurity
in the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business

Forbes journalist Andy Greenberg tracks the history of hacker and activist movements
from the 1970s to contemporary organizations like WikiLeaks and Anonymous, with special
emphasis on the evolution of whistleblowing.

"Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict under Louis the German, 817-876" by Eric J. GoldbergRecommended by Kelly Gibson, assistant professor of history

This biography of Charlemagne's grandson, Louis the German, brings to light many aspects
of ninth-century life as it traces King Louis' wars against his brothers and neighboring
peoples and attempts to maintain power.

"It is thoroughly researched, based on all the available sources for this period,
but very readable and exciting—a great way to learn about a period of time usually
seen as the decline of the Carolingian empire after the time of Charlemagne," said
Gibson.

"The Intellectual Life: Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods" by A.G. SertillangesRecommended by Gerard Wegemer, professor of English

A French Dominican philosopher exiled from six countries during World War I and II,
Sertillanges offers practical suggestions for fostering the vocation to the intellectual
life.

"As a Dominican, Sertillanges brings to bear 700 years of reflection and experience
in the tradition of Thomas Aquinas' 'Principles of Study,'" said Wegemer.